Association of Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) Records, 1972-1995

Mss 003
1.6 c.f. (4 document boxes)

ABSTRACT

The Association of Researchers on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action
(ARNOVA) was founded in 1971 by David Horton Smith and Bill Ready as the Association
for Voluntary Action Scholars (AVAS). Their vision was to create an independent
and impartial forum for researchers in the fledgling field of voluntary action and
citizen participation. Major activities have included an annual conference and the
publication of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (NVSQ), formerly
the Journal of Voluntary Action Research (JVAR); Citizen Participation
and Voluntary Action Abstracts (CPVAA); and a newsletter. The organization’s
name change in 1991 signified diversification of the original mission, which now
includes expanded outreach to researchers on nonprofit organizations and from previously
neglected academic disciplines.

The records consist of board and committee materials, correspondence, financial
and administrative records, incomplete runs of CPVAA and the newsletter, membership
directories and brochures, conference programs, and grant proposals and paperwork.

ACCESS

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs
the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material.

PREFERRED CITATION

Cite as: The Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary
Action Records, 1972-1995, Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives, University
Library, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

ACQUISITION

Presented by ARNOVA, Indianapolis, IN, February 1997. A1997-005

Processed by Kirsten Meisenheimer, June 1997.

HISTORICAL NOTE

The Association of Researchers on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action
(ARNOVA) was founded and incorporated in 1971 by David Horton Smith and Bill Ready
as the Association for Voluntary Action Scholars (AVAS).Their vision was to create
an independent and impartial forum for researchers in the fledgling field of voluntary
action and citizen participation. For a long time, AVAS’ annual conferences and
quarterly journal were the only outlets available to scholars interested in this
area of research.

AVAS originally held parallel conferences with the Association for Volunteer
Administration and the Association of Volunteer Bureaus. The first conference was
held in Denver, Colorado in 1974. The first solo conference was held in 1982 in
Lansing, Michigan. These annual conventions allow the organization to fulfill its
purpose, as stated in the by-laws, to "stimulate, coordinate, and otherwise aid
the efforts of those engaged in research, other scholarship and professional activity
related to the understanding and improvement of nonprofit organizations and voluntary
action" by creating a face-to-face forum for idea exchange.

AVAS’ publications were a major part of its contribution to the research community.
The newsletter, begun in 1973, contained information about events and individuals
in the research community as well as information specific to the organization.
Citizen Participation and Voluntary Action Abstracts appeared originally
as a supplement to the first newsletter, bringing together a variety of resources
for researchers working in this interdisciplinary field. Volunteer Administration
was published by AVAS until 1982, and is now published by the Association of Volunteer
Administrators as the Journal of Volunteer Administration. The Journal
of Voluntary Action Research (JVAR), begun in 1972, was, for a long time, the
only scholarly journal focusing on all aspects of voluntary action research. In
1986 JVAR attempted to broaden its focus to include the rapidly growing field of
nonprofit study by adding a subtitle: Studies of Voluntarism, Citizen Participation,
Philanthropy, and Nonprofit Organizations. 1988 heralded a new publisher for
the journal, and an entirely new name- Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
(NVSQ). More recently, the organization has collaborated with the Indiana University
Center on Philanthropy on Research in Progress.

ARNOVA’s executive office moved from its original home at Boston College to Pennsylvania
State University, and then again to the Lincoln Filene Center at Tufts University
in 1986. In 1990 the office moved again to become loosely affiliated with the Department
of Adult and Youth Education at Washington State University. Continuing financial
problems and low membership throughout the 1980's caused Delwyn A. Dyer to convene
a Strategic Planning Committee in 1988. Following the committee’s recommendation,
the Board of Directors voted to change the organization’s name from the narrowly
focused Association for Voluntary Action Scholars to the more inclusive Association
of Researchers on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA).

The planning process continued at a retreat on February 8-10, 1991, in Corpus
Christi, Texas. Board members focused on the need to upgrade the association’s services,
enhance its reputation, and reach out to include a diverse, interdisciplinary group
of researchers and practicioners interested in voluntary action and nonprofit study.
Following the retreat, Kirsten Gronbjerg (co-president 1993-1994) prepared a document
stating ARNOVA’s goals to present to possible funders.

A second retreat was held at lifetime member David Mason’s ranch on March 19-21,
1993. Decisions made at the Mason Ranch Retreat resulted in the formalization of
ARNOVA’s relationships with Independent Sector and the academic centers, and the
affiliation of NVSQ with the Program on Non-Profit Organizations (PONPO) at Yale
University and the executive office with the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy
in 1994. These affiliations strengthened ARNOVA’s position as a research organization.
Consequent funding from the Ford Foundation and the Kellogg Foundation gave the
organization the wherewithal to become the "interdisciplinary fellowship of scholars"
its founders had envisioned.

"By-laws of the Association of Voluntary Action Scholars," 1979, Records
of ARNOVA, Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives, Indiana University Purdue
University Indianapolis.

"By-laws of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary
Action," 1991, Records of ARNOVA, Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives,
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

Young, Dennis, "A Professional Society For Nonprofit Researchers Perspective,"
Paper presented to ARNOVA board members and officers on retreat. Corpus Christi,
Texas, 8-10 February 1991. Records of ARNOVA, Ruth Lilly Special Collections
and Archives, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection consists of the records of the following individuals involved
in AVAS/ARNOVA: Delwyn A. Dyer, Thomasina Borkman, Kirsten Gronbjerg, Stephen Wernet,
Ram Cnaan, and David Mason.

Delwyn A. Dyer was an active member of the Publications Committee, and president
from 1986-1988. His papers date from 1981-1988 and mainly cover the business of
the Publications Committee and the period of his presidency. Thomasina Borkman was
president from 1990-1992. Her papers consist mainly of board materials, committee
materials, newsletters, brochures, notes, and correspondence from the period of
her presidency and directly afterwards. Kirsten Gronbjerg was co-president (with
Richard Steinberg) from 1992-1994. Her papers cover all aspects of her time in office.
Stephen Wernet was the local host for the 1991 ARNOVA conference, held in Chicago.
His papers are primarily from the planning of that conference. Ram Cnaan was the
Vice-President of Meetings in 1994 and 1995. His papers consist primarily of correspondence,
planning documents and paperwork from the 1994 and 1995 ARNOVA conferences. David
Mason is a longtime, lifetime member of ARNOVA. He ran the 1985 AVAS conference
in New Orleans, hosted both the Corpus Christi and Mason Ranch retreats, and assumed
responsibility for the ARNOVA archives.

These personal records, collected with varying intensity over an extended period
of time, were combined to create one institutional archives for ARNOVA. Consequently,
there are gaps in documentation. There are few documents prior to 1980, although
ARNOVA had existed for nine years at that point. There are gaps in sets of annual
reports, conference programs, newsletters, and CPVAA. However, it is possible to
trace the development of the organization since 1980 through board and committee
materials, publications and strategic planning documents.

Board Records, 1978-1995, contain correspondence,
agendas, and minutes of board meetings with their accompanying attachments. Board
meetings have traditionally been held at the annual conference, although occasionally
extra meetings or meetings by conference call are held. Minutes for 1979 and 1981
are missing. Some reports to the board and attachments may be missing. Records are
arranged chronologically.

Strategic Planning Records, 1988-1995,
contain planning documents, correspondence, notes, and articles related to the development
of ARNOVA’s strategic plan, planning retreats at Corpus Christi, Texas and David
Mason’s ranch; and funding requests and evaluations for the Ford and Kellogg Foundations.
Records are arranged by subject.

Affiliation/Collaboration Records,
1983-1994, contain correspondence and contracts relating to affiliations
or collaborations of ARNOVA’s executive office and NVSQ; and with academic centers,
Independent Sector, an international research society on the third sector, and various
other organizations. Records are arranged by subject

Financial Records, 1981-1994,
contain an incomplete run of annual reports (1981-1994), and correspondence and
paperwork on grants and contributions. Arranged by subject.

Publications, 1972-1995,
contain publicity and reviews of ARNOVA publications, correspondence and contracts
from the Publications Committee, incomplete runs of CPVAA, volumes 6 through 19
(1980-1994); Newsletter, volumes 7 through 23 (1979-1995); and the NVSQ Subject
Index (1972-1992). Records are arranged by subject and chronologically within the
subseries.

Conference Records, 1979-1990,
contain policy drafts and policy documents for conferences and for the presentation
of awards at the conferences. Also contains an incomplete run of conference programs
(1979-1990). Arranged by subject; conference programs are arranged chronologically
within the subseries.